Application Engineer

About the Company

CaptiveAire is the nation’s leading manufacturer of commercial kitchen ventilation systems, offering a complete solution of fans, heaters, ductwork, and HVAC equipment. With over 40 years of industry leadership, we provide fully integrated, sustainable HVAC systems through innovative technologies, unmatched service, competitive pricing, and rapid lead times. Our mission is to deliver the highest quality products and service at the lowest possible price.

We are committed to employee development, offering continuous education opportunities such as sponsorship for Professional Engineering licenses, weekly webinars, and company-developed technical videos. Our decentralized, fast-moving culture encourages collaboration, quick action on good ideas, and a focus on end users. Employees value the open-door policy, continuous learning, and the sense of being a valued team member.

About the Role

As an Application Engineer at CaptiveAire, you will play a key role in shaping, advancing, and supporting innovative HVAC solutions for a wide range of real-world applications. This dynamic role involves collaborating with sales, R&D, and service teams to ensure high-quality outcomes for projects. You will work in a result-driven, fast-paced environment where no two days are the same.

A Day in the Life

• Explore different applications and equipment types to help sales engineers meet project requirements and designs.
• Conduct design reviews, answer product/application-related questions, and research new and complex applications.
• Develop training for the internal sales engineering team.
• Collaborate with sales, R&D, and service teams to ensure project success.
• Analyze remote monitoring data and derive trends using tools like Excel.

From an Application Engineer: "I enjoy that it's usually something new every day. Although we work on similar applications, they are never exactly the same. This gives the opportunity to find better ways to approach a problem, dive deep into standards and best practices, and learn something new from the involved parties. It's always a great feeling when something I've helped with turns out well for the sales office and end user."

Responsibilities

• Work with internal sales staff and the Engineering team to design sustainable mechanical ventilation and control strategies for a variety of commercial applications.
• Provide a comprehensive final review of critical projects to ensure accuracy, quality, and alignment with CaptiveAire design standards.
• Deliver real-time technical guidance to sales engineers and resolve design questions efficiently.
• Research unique or emerging applications and develop training resources (e.g., webinars, support pages, design tools) to help sales staff confidently present and sell equipment.

Requirements

• BS in Engineering (mechanical or electrical preferred).
• 0-5 years of engineering experience.
• Knowledge of HVAC/ventilation systems preferred.
• Ability to manipulate data to derive trends using Excel or similar software.
• Strong communication skills, with the ability to discuss complex mechanical equipment and controls with diverse audiences, from highly technical engineers to non-technical owners.
• Self-starter capable of handling long-term tasks with minimal guidance.

This is not a remote role.

Benefits

• Medical, dental, and vision insurance.
• Disability and life insurance (based on medical insurance election).
• 401k with employer match.
• Paid holidays and paid time off (PTO) based on tenure.
• Flexible spending account (FSA).
• Tuition reimbursement, including for Professional Engineering (PE) License.
• Relocation assistance.

Pay

$65k–$90k base salary, negotiable based on experience, with additional monthly bonus based on productivity and profits.